What the Hell Is Aquafaba, and Why Do You Need It in Your Life?

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You may have started to see something called aquafaba popping up on ingredient lists lately — in everything from vegan mayonnaise to seasonal cocktails. If you're curious about this mystery ingredient, but up until now were either a) unsure how to pronounce it or b) scared of it because it sort of sounds like a dark and scary seafaring monster name, we're here to quell your fears!

Have all your aquafaba questions answered here:

So what exactly IS aquafaba?

Bean water. Chickpea juice. Whatever you prefer, aquafaba is the common name for the residual cooking liquid of beans or other legumes, like chickpeas or lentils. Think of aquafaba as the leftover brine from legumes. Whether it's the liquid at the bottom of a can of chickpeas or the liquid left over from cooking your own beans, it's typically discarded.

And how do you pronounce it?

Technically, like this: /akwəˈfɑːbə/ Now, say it with us: AH-qua-FAH-buh. Now go scream it from the rooftops!

Why save that leftover liquid, anyway?

In short, that liquid is packed with nutrition and advantageous cooking properties. Aquafaba's unique mix of proteins, starches, and other soluble plant solids that have migrated from the seeds to the water during the cooking process give the liquid a diverse spectrum of thickening properties — from emulsifying, to foaming, to gelatinizing.

What can I use the liquid for, exactly?

Because it's a powerhouse natural thickener, aquafaba can be used as a vegan substitute to replace egg whites in both sweet and savory recipes, like mayonnaise and meringue, or even as a frothy cocktail ingredient in drinks like a traditionally egg white-topped whiskey sour.

Any other advantages of aquafaba instead of as an egg white replacement?

Beyond being a natural plant-based thickener that can easily replace traditional egg whites in recipes to make them vegan-friendly and thus more sustainable, aquafaba is also significantly cheaper than eggs. A dozen eggs can cost up to $4-$5, whereas a single can of garbanzo beans costs 50 cents to a dollar on average.

With whiskey weather and hearty baking season right around the corner, there's really never been a better time to jump on this better-for-you aquafaba trend.

Craving more beans? Luckily for you, there are tons of delicious legume-based snacks right this way!